


Lost Behind the Looking Glass

by viktuuri_is_love



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, But with a happy ending, M/M, Mystery, Paranormal, Spooky, Supernatural - Freeform, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viktuuri_is_love/pseuds/viktuuri_is_love
Summary: When two of the world’s top figure skaters disappear after their honeymoon, it is up to their friends to uncover their fate. After Phichit and Chris team up with Yurio, they encounter some strange secrets hidden within Victor’s home. Is everything really as it seems, or is there something more sinister at play?
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 18
Kudos: 36





	1. Just a Normal Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is the first fic I have decided to write in a really long time. Feel free to share any comments if you would like to give any constructive criticism or feedback. If need be, I will be adding TWs in the notes section found in future chapters. ;v; I hope you enjoy!
> 
> TW: brief mention of homophobia

Dusting his eyelashes open, sunlight gleaned upon him on a day no different than any other. The city was busy. People walked and talked and went about their normal days. Rolling over in his sheets, his phone slipped through his fingers and shattered somewhere lost beneath him. The clouds outside his window floated by with Aeolus’ grace, showing no care in the fucking world. This day shouldn’t have been any different. The problem is that it _was_. This day changed _everything_ and there was absolutely nothing that he could possibly do about it.

The media and news reporters were going fucking nuts.

It’s _real now_.

Snapping his head away from the outside world to stare at the ceiling, his teeth ground themselves to the point where he wondered why he couldn’t feel powder catching in his throat. He clutched at his blanket and felt his fingernails dig into his palms. His breath hitched. Eventually, after deciding to sit up, he squeezed just a normal looking picture frame. It held a photograph he took with Yuri during their younger years in Detroit. It was a normal day. They were both standing on the bleachers in the ice rink, posing for a photo he was going to upload online. They were both smiling. Yuri was shy as he always was, but their friendship was unlike any other.

They were supposed to celebrate when he returned from his honeymoon in Barcelona. Best man’s promise. However, Yuri stopped responding to him the night after he did. He stopped answering everyone’s texts to be more specific. He wouldn’t return any missed calls. His Instagram just _stopped_. And more frighteningly, so did Victor’s. It was understandable during the first few days. But, when a week went by and he answered a call from Yuri’s mom one morning, his hands froze when he heard the words “do you know if my son’s okay?” choked through broken English. 

It’s been another week since then.

Victor didn’t show up to a press conference.

* * *

Jumping, he let out a squeak as he fished his phone out of his pocket. Raising an eyebrow after he looked at the image behind the cracked screen, he turned the burners on his stove and stepped away, slowly raising it to his ear.

“Yurio?”

“Yeah, it’s me _obviously_. Look, I need to fucking talk to you about this shit. Something weird is going on and-”

“Did you find out something new?” Phichit’s eyes widened, knees shaking as he sat down.

“No!” the teenager barked so loudly he held his phone away from his ear. “Well, not anything good! Yakov practically broke into Victor’s fucking house. The neighbors called the fucking cops on him, but he told them what was going on _again_. _Makkachin_ was in there all _alone_. You know damn well they would never do that! Yakov decided to take-”

“Whoa, slow down for a second!” Phichit interrupted: his breath stuck in his chest. “Is that where the news stories came from? I know the media found out something’s wrong, but-”

“I’m not sure,” Yurio bit his lip and ran his fingers through his hair. “But the stories did come out maybe a couple hours after that. Anyway, all of their stuff was there - suitcases from their stupid honeymoon. Valuables. Medals. Everything was there. They weren’t robbed or anything, but, they wouldn’t just fucking disappear. Victor’s car was in his garage this whole time too.”

“Have the police found anything?”

“Ha. As if. Those assholes just fucking laughed and said that the _sick gays_ were probably _trying on dresses and doing sinful things_ and other dumb shit. I swear, they’re just a fucking joke. They didn’t even bother to look through the fucking place. Yakov was fucking _pissed._ He took a look around and said he couldn’t find anything weird. So, I was thinking.” 

“Thinking what?”

“You. That you. You and Chris. You guys need to come here. We know them, right? We’d at least be able to find _something_. Please. Just. Please just come. I don’t know what to do anymore,” Yurio’s voice cracked as he tried to swallow back his snot. “Please.” 

Phichit’s words froze in his throat, eyes wide as he heard the words scattering out of Yurio’s lips. Pulse drumming through his skull, he almost dropped his phone again and broke it for good. Sweat dripped down his forehead. “We’ll be there on our first flights out. I’ll make sure of it, Yurio. We’ll be there. I’ll call Chris, okay? I’m sure he’s scared too. We all are.”

“O-okay,” Yurio hiccuped, tasting blood as he bit his lip harder. “Just like, text me the details later I guess.”

“Yeah, of course. Hey, are you doing-”

Phichit heard an older man say something in Russian and bit his tongue as Yurio snapped back. Sighing, Yurio grumbled, “Sorry, that was my grandpa. I’m probably going to apologize to him later for what I just fucking said to him. Anyway, I gotta go. Thanks, hamster man.”

Before he could respond, the call cut out. Typical. Shaking his head, Phichit wiped his eyes with the side of his hands. When he was able to stand again, he stomped through his living room, hand on his hip as he scrolled through his contacts. Squinting, he tapped on Chris’ name and hovered his thumb. After piercing it, he chewed on the inside of his cheek and stared at his reflection through his mirror.

“Ph-Phichit?” Chris questioned. The sultry tone he was used to was gone. It was replaced with, for lack of existing language, gravel being smashed between a mortar and pestle.

“Hiya Chris. Quick question, what are your plans for tonight?”

Chris blinked and looked over at his partner, who just stared at him in confusion and shrugged. Humming, he grimaced when he saw the TV again. “Nothing as of right now?”

“Well, you might want to start packing. We’re going to St. Petersburg. Yurio’s orders.”

“Does he know anything?” He croaked, pouting and crossing his legs. Eyes staring at his feet, his shoulders tensed as his partner put his hand on his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. “What did he find out? I’m not going to a funeral, am I? Phichit I swear if you don’t start-”

“No, No! Not a funeral. Yurio doesn’t actually know much besides the fact that their house was practically abandoned. Sick thing is that the police refuse to do anything about it. I guess we’re going to be like the Scooby-Doo gang and search their house for clues. I don’t really understand it, but I’m tired of just sitting around and waiting when nothing’s being done.”

“How soon are you going?”

“Today.”

“Understood.”

Phichit sighed and put his phone down after hearing the soft click. Chewing on his tongue, he pinched the space between his eyebrows and turned his back to the mirror he was looking at earlier.

“I swear to god, Yuri. If this is just some prank, I don’t know what to think,” he muttered to himself, shoving things he hoped were clean into his duffel bag.

* * *

Getting to the airport was the easy part. Walking through it was not. Backing up with his arms raised in surrender, security guards ran forward as a News Reporter continued to hound him, pressing forward and waving a microphone as cameras surrounded him.  
  
“Mister Chulanont, we saw that you made a post about flying to Russia! Why are you leaving? Is it because of the Nikiforovs? Giacometti made a similar post! Do you know if…”

The words stopped making sense to him. So many people were speaking now that all of their voices sounded like a mushed jumble of words trying to get incinerated through a garbage disposal. He jumped when he felt someone touch his arm, and when he looked over he sighed and relaxed his shoulders. As the security guards quieted the news corral, he was escorted away with one of the guards and allowed a few moments to breathe. After shaking her hand, he stuffed his tickets into his bag, stretched, and breezed through the fast-track. Liking and responding to Chris’ last message. He wished him a safe flight.

_ICX Athletics: Going “missing” is not rare for athletes_

_Extended Vacation? Ice Skating Legends - Where are they now?_

_Camerashy Skaters: The Nikiforovs are fine, right?_

Shutting it off, he zipped it in his bag and ran his fingers through his hair.

_No matter what, I won’t give up trying to find you, you know._


	2. Tick Tock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to get serious. Blood pumping and determined, the boys discover something... odd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, not the app. Though, they are definitely avid users. Phichit and Chris are famous to Yurio's bemusement.
> 
> TWs: light swearing

The teal car creaked as it rolled to a stop. Phichit’s chest heaved, sweat dripping down his back, as he took a leap into the outside world. He grimaced as the wind blew against his face. Brushing back some of his hair that had plastered itself against him, he took a step forward. After wiping his hands on his jeans, he took a second to look around. There was a hint of smoke coming from somewhere lost in the distance. The clouds were grey and blanketing most of the sky, but some shine still peeked through every so often. Taking a deep breath, his shoulders relaxed as he closed his eyes and smelled the raked vegetation and sodden dirt around him. He took a few steps and opened his eyes again. He spun around as he tried to take in the area around him, smiling softly when he heard Yurio laugh all of a sudden.

The sight causing it was not so pretty, to say the least.

The car was a model Phichit couldn't identify: the symbol above the license plate was something he had never seen before. There were a few scuffs and dings here and there. It had been waxed recently, but there were patches that were duller than others. The worn metal stood in contrast to what seemed to be brand new tires. The old man looked over at Yurio warmly and the skin around his eyes wrinkled. The dentures in his smile sparkled like new. Phichit wondered just how much blood, sweat, and tears were poured into the old machine. Problem is, it was definitely not designed to hold four men. It only had two doors for fuck’s sake.

Chuckling as he dropped his bag, Phichit stepped forward as Chris struggled to free himself. Reaching towards him, he took Chris’ hand and held him steady as he tried to squeeze between the folded-over driver’s seat and his own suitcase. One minute he was in the car. The second, he was lying face-first on the pavement. Before he could help him up, Yurio’s grandfather squatted down and lifted him by his jacket. One-handed. Chris’s eyes were wide as he kicked his feet out from beneath him, taking a deep breath when he was set down.

There was a sudden smack. Jumping, Chris squeaked as he spun his head, jaw agape as he stared at the man next to him. Yurio’s grandfather raised his eyebrow, clasping him on his shoulder again.

“For a strong man, you are light. No?” 

Phichit and Yurio locked eyes. Doubling over, Phichit started laughing, boisterous as he wiped at his eyes. Even though Chris’ face flushed a deep, wine-red, he still smiled politely and thanked the older man. Grabbing his own bags out of the car, he wheeled them forward as they followed the dirt path and approached the weathered house in front of them.

Blood-red trees rustled behind them as the wind blew, carrying some rusted orange and yellow stragglers with it. They disappeared somewhere across the asphyxiated horizon as they danced amongst the tree branches. The crisp, cool, and fresh air energized Phichit’s lungs as his breathing returned to normal.

The white paint on the outside of their home was chipping a little in some areas and was mud-stained in others. The window panelings revealed some of the original oak as paint peeled away from its surface. Some of the glass was slightly cracked. It was patched over with delicate mastery and certainty. The front door was bright red and had some black Cyrillic writing scrawled across the top that he couldn’t read. There were a few small handprints and finger paintings smacked on it at knee height in various colors.

The door creaked as Yurio’s grandfather unlocked it and invited them in. Phichit stared in awe as he glanced across the countless family photos littering the soft green walls. There were only a few photos of Yurio when he was young; he was with some older adults that Phichit hadn’t met before. The majority of the frames contained photos of him with his grandfather. Some were just of him holding medals at competitions he’s entered throughout the years. He was smug in every single one of them. There was a large yellowing newspaper hanging above a checkered sofa in the back of the room. Yurio was grinning in the center of its front page.

Yurio leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. Nodding at them, he smirked and pointed his thumb towards a hallway. “Bathroom’s down there, along with my room and Grandpa’s.”

“Thanks. Where are we going to be staying? I’d like to put these down?” Chris smiled as he dusted the front of his jacket.  
  
“Attic’s fine,” Yurio smirked, pointing above his head with his thumb.  
  
“...The attic?” Chris gasped, eyebrows pointed as he suddenly looked up at the ceiling. “We’re staying up there? That’s not going to be good for my complexion.”  
  
“No, _obviously_ _not there_ you idiot.” Yurio snickered. Grinning, he put his hands on his hips. “We have a guest room down there too. For when my parents visit. You guys will both be there, but, there’s only one bed. So, like, deal with it.”

“Oh my god, there’s only one bed,” Phichit laughed. Grinning, he elbowed Chris in glee.

“So, we’re roommates.”

“Oh my god we’re roommates”  
  
“Not five feet apart because we’re hella gay.”

Rolling his eyes as they high-fived each other, Yurio led them down to the room and walked into it. Jumping onto the bed, he laid back and crossed his legs. He rested his arms behind his head. 

“Yep. Right here.”

“Thanks for letting us stay with you, Yurio. That’s real nice of you,” Phichit smiled as he sat down at the end of the rather large bed. The room was lavish in comparison to the rest of the house. The hardwood floors were the same dark color as the ones in the rest of the house, but the walls were cool and grey. There was a light embedded into the ceiling instead of the typical hanging boob-light. The furniture was black, and there were large abstract mirrors on the wall adjacent to the bed. A pitch-red plush rug was on the floor too, matching the comforter on the bed.

“Uh, no problem, I guess. I kind of did, like, call you guys and force you to come.”  
  
“I was already planning on flying down here anyway, to be honest,” Chris sighed; voice warm as honey stirred in chamomile tea. Sitting on the desk chair, he crossed his legs and started scrolling on his phone. “I knew something was up, but I just figured that they were still honeymooning.”  
  
“Same,” Phichit bit his lip as he leaned back a little. “Yuri’s mom called me a few days ago asking if I knew anything. I just thought he was doing the same and told her not to worry. But, I didn’t feel right. I kept hoping that it was nothing and that I was wrong about my feelings. You know?”

“Yeah,” Yurio sat up and crossed his legs, frowning as he bit his lip. Furrowing his eyebrows together, he cocked his head to the side. “So… What _exactly_ do you think we should do?”  
  
Chris looked up from his phone and hummed. “Well, I guess going to their house is a good idea. But, we might want to wait until tomorrow to do that.”

Phichit nodded. “Yeah, that seems like the best thing to do. Besides, I’m real tired right now too. I don’t think I can handle going right now after flying that long either.”  
  
“Oh, it’s not because of that,” Chris responded as he turned his phone screen towards them.  
  
“What do you mean?” Yurio scrambled across the bed.

“It looks like the media pressured the police to take things a little more seriously,” Chris responded as he tossed his phone over to Yurio. He caught it and laid back down, scrolling through the article, squinting. “They’re looking at the place today. Should finish up tomorrow afternoon by the looks of it.”

“I hope they don’t fuck any of their shit up,” Yurio grumbled as he kept scrolling. Clenching his teeth, he furrowed his eyebrows deeper. “Police here suck at what they do. They’re only doing this to get publicity off their backs.”

“Should we come up with a gameplan?” Phichit blinked and rubbed his chin. “Like, we shouldn’t just walk in there and look at random stuff. Randomly. I doubt we’ll find anything doing that.”  
  
“Oh, definitely,” Yurio and Chris responded in unison.

They sat down on the bed together, Chris chewing on the end of a pencil as they started to discuss their ideas. Typing away at his laptop, Phichit nodded along as Yurio explained some of Victor’s habits he’s noticed throughout the years. Before they knew it, the day had turned to dusk. Phichit got up and grinned. His eyes crinkled and he straightened his back.  
  
“Sick. We fucking got this.”

* * *

Victor’s neighborhood was unlike the other they had just seen in St. Petersburg. The street was lined with tall elegant street lamps, flower bushes, and newly constructed buildings. Many of the homes had modern lattice designs amongst others, clean and bright colors, geometric walls, and were covered with elegant windows. Chris sighed and placed his chin in his palms as they pulled up to Victor’s home, eyes sparkling softly. The walls were definitely taller than average. The outside was lined with soft grey wood paneling that was balanced with white casement windows. A winding stone pathway led to the front door. Rose bushes and flower beds were brilliantly placed throughout the yard and would have added bright pops of color to contrast the monotone exterior. The grass was a little tall, but the lawn was freshly raked. There were even some pumpkins sitting on their front porch.

Yakov whistled as he slipped his hand into his pocket. After digging around for a moment, he pulled out a golden key and let the boys inside. The open space contained pithy white walls, light-toned herringbone flooring, and simplistic hanging pendant lights. Large abstract paintings were placed throughout the room, adding pops of blue, pink, and purple. There were a few blankets tossed on the deep-blue sofas. The ceiling even had evenly placed white-painted beams and a few french oak ceiling fans. Phichit’s eyes were drawn towards the kitchen’s stainless steel appliances and marble countertops.

Yurio grumbled as he took his shoes off and left them by the door. Chewing on his bubblegum, he unzipped his hoodie and tossed it over onto the coffee table. “Thanks for the ride, old man.”  
  
“No need,” Yakov replied while fixing his hat. “I just hope your eyes are better than mine.”

“Yurio will let you know if we find anything,” Chris nodded as he hung his peacoat on a coat rack. “We’ll probably stay here for a few hours.”

Nodding towards him, Yakov fixed his hat and straightened his coat. “Hmph. Call me if any of you need anything, Yuratchka.” After receiving a few grumbles in response from the teenager, Yakov rolled his eyes. “And don’t forget, practice tomorrow morning. Today’s special.” He shook his head and headed out after hearing a few more grumbles, leaving the gang to their own devices.

Yurio leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs, resting his feet on his jacket. He then looked over at Phichit. “So, where should we start?”  
  
“Stick to the plan for right now. I’ll start calling Yuri’s phone. Chris, you Victor’s. If we hear them, then obviously that’s weird, right? Why would they leave without them?” Receiving a nod from the Swiss man, Phichit scrolled through his contacts list. “Yurio, you’ve been here more than us. It’ll probably help if you take a look around in here for now. See if there’s anything different than usual.”

Yurio blew and popped a bubble as he got up and walked around the space. The books on Victor’s shelves were still orderly, as usual. Reaching over, he smirked and angled a romance novel just a little. Giggling to himself, he turned and continued to walk around. His head jerked when Yuri’s freeskate song started to play throughout the room.  
  
“... of course that’s his dumb-ass ringtone,” Yurio groaned. Rolling his eyes, he followed the sound and entered the kitchen. Unplugging the phone from its charger, he lifted it from the counter and declined Chris’ call. “Found this,” he waved the phone in the air.  
  
“That’s so strange,” Chris muttered softly. “If the police didn’t find that, then they must have only like. Popped in and out. Not doing anything, really,” he scowled and crossed his arms.

“Typical,” Yurio rolled his eyes and shoved the phone into Chris’s hand. “His wallpaper is them kissing. _I’m not_ looking through that. They gotta have gross pictures and shit in there. I’m not bleaching my eyes today. Anyway, passcode is their wedding day, apparently.”

Chris nodded and tapped on the screen a little. Groaning, he massaged his temple. “Oh mon dieu, he has thousands of notifications. So. So many…”

“Just found Yuri’s,” Phichit interjected as he stepped back into the room. “Took me a little bit because he silenced it, but yeah. Anniversary date on Victor’s, right? I’ll try that too.”

Chris frowned and put Victor’s phone away. “It’s just full of calls and texts from people. But, I didn’t see anything weird in his messages between just them. Or his emails, so, that was a bust.”

Phichit nodded and sighed. “It hurts seeing all these messages from his mom even though I can't read them, but, same here.”  
  
“Well,” Yurio rubbed the back of his neck. “Their phones are here. And so are their bags and shit,” he grumbled as he dragged them out from their bedroom. “Fuck, they’re heavy. They didn’t even _unpack_ anything.”

“You… don’t think they were kidnapped or anything, right?” Chris’ voice shook as he raised his eyebrows, shoulders tensing up. “I mean, what else could-”  
  
“If they were, this place would be a huge mess, right? They wouldn’t go down without a fight. Plus, Makkachin was fine,” Phichit swallowed as he felt his stomach churn. “Right?”

“Besides hungry, yeah,” Yurio hummed and chewed on his fingernails. 

A clap of thunder drummed outside. Phichit looked out the window and stared at his reflection in the glass as rain started to fall. Droplets of water inched down his face. Frowning, he touched his cheek. Chris flicked the light switch when the room darkened from the overcast sky. Clenching his eyes shut, Yurio whined and rubbed at his eyelids.  
  
“Warn a guy next time, will ya?”

“Sorry, sorry…” Chris chuckled as Yurio continued to complain. Crouching down, he started to unzip Yuri and Victor’s suitcases. “I’ll start here next. Phichit, why don’t you start looking around in their bedroom? Yurio, keep doing what you were doing before, I guess.”

Breaking away from his reflection, Phichit nodded and walked down the hallway, fingertips grazing the side of the wall as he did. Yurio tilted his head when he was able to see again. He walked back towards the bookshelf. “I always thought this was weird,” he muttered as a loud thunderclap echoed through the walls. The lights flickered. “Why would Victor need a dummies guide on ice skating?”  
  
Chris shrugged and frowned as he dug through their clothes. “Stay focused, Yurio.” He held a cracked golden mirror and shrugged, putting it back in its plastic bag. His eyes widened. Face flushing, he tucked back some brightly colored toys he found amongst Victor’s things. He zipped the bag closed without a word.  
  
Yurio’s eyebrows furrowed as another thunderclap echoed. Lightning illuminated the sky as he grazed the book’s spine with his fingernails. Pulling it out, he started to flip through it. Gasping, his entire body stiffened as he heard a soft _click_ . Breath hitching in his chest, he dropped the book as it swung forward a little. Trembling, he pressed his hand against the side of the bookshelf and gently nudged it. It swung to the left silently, revealing a metal spiral staircase that led upwards and downwards.  
  
“G-guys? I. I found something!” He shrieked, taking a step back. Tripping over the novel, he yelped as he fell back, head smacking back against ground. “Fuck! Fucking fuck! God fucking-”

“Yurio, you okay?” Phichit yelled as he ran into the living room. Frozen at the sight in front of him, his heart started to pound in his chest. 

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

His pulse drummed in his skull, creating a symphony with the thunder and lightning at war with the rain outside. Inching forward, his breath pierced at his lungs. He clutched his chest. His hands were cold. His legs trembled. His stomach flipped.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

He jumped when Chris rested his hand on the small of his back. Whining as he got up, Yurio rubbed the back of his head. Frowning, he kicked the book he tripped over across the side of the room.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Victor. How fucking rich are you?”


	3. It Was Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more panic for the boys and some heartbreak for all of the victuuri fans out there. Peace be with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry

It continued to pour outside. Flinching as a clap of thunder echoed through his skull, Yurio clenched his teeth and shoved his hands into his pockets. He closed his eyes and played with his headphones. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the staircase. A breeze blew through him and his stomach flipped. 

It was cold. 

“I. I never knew that this was here,” Yurio frowned and he crossed his arms. Tapping his foot on the ground, he looked over at Chris and Phichit. He blew a large bubble and popped it again. “Think we should go in?” He grimaced while rubbing the bump that was growing on the back of his head.

“Yeah, definitely. You two should go upstairs, and I’ll go down?” Chris stood up straight as he approached the bookcase.

“No! No way! This shit is creepy as fuck!” Yurio stomped his foot and stood in the entrance, extending his arms to block it. Thunder echoed behind him as lightning struck a tree somewhere far in the distant forest. “Together! Besides, if there’s like a murderer or something somewhere, Hamster Dude isn’t gonna be able to like. Do anything about it. I’m not _dying_ that way! I wish I had my fucking _knife boots_ then I could like-”

Phichit approached Yurio and pulled him into a hug. Yurio froze and his eyes widened. Tensing up, he rolled his eyes. “...What are you-”  
  
“You were talking really fast. Slow down,” Phichit chuckled as he pulled away. “Besides, you needed it. And I agree. Let’s _all_ go together. Down and then up?”

Chris shrugged and then nodded at both of them. “Yeah, that’s fine,” he smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I can lead, and you two can follow-”  
  
“No! No way!” Yurio frowned as his eyebrows pursed together. “I’m not a fucking _baby._ ” He flipped Chris a middle finger and then turned. Huffing, he then shouted something at him in Russian as he ran down the stairs.

Phichit silently looked over at Chris. He blinked and shrugged at him, opening his mouth to say something, but then decided not to. Chris sighed and shook his head as he started to follow both of them.

Yurio stomped down the stairs, heart pounding as the stairs creaked beneath him. Grinding his teeth, he shivered and crossed his arms over his chest as he stepped into a dark room. His footsteps echoed as he started walking around. He then sighed and pressed one of his hands against a wall, feeling around for a light switch. He gasped. Teeth shattering, he shivered as a jolt of ice ran up his spine. Thunder shook the house. Sighing in relief, he finally flicked the switch when he was able to find it. He turned around and raised an eyebrow, shaking his head.

The room was lined with wall-height mirrors along three walls. The one that wasn’t was painted white and was covered with some medals here and there. Ballet bars lined each of the mirrors. There was some exercise equipment shoved into the corner of the room, such as slide boards, a couple of Bosu balls, a medicine ball, and some plyoboxes. 

His shoulders relaxed as his breathing started to slow. Color returning to his cheeks, he walked into the center of the room and stared into his reflection. He squinted his eyes. Tilting his head left and right, a soft glow mimicked his reflection but was just a few seconds slower from his own movements. His eyes widened as he stared at another person starting to appear in the mirror right next to him. Yurio’s chest tightened and he started shivering again. Time slowed as he watched Yuri come closer to him in the reflection. Hair standing straight on his arms, he spun around. Heart pounding in his chest.

“What?”  
  
Phichit froze where he stood and furrowed his eyebrows together. Raising his arms up, he took a step back. “Hey, are you okay? It’s just me. Remember to breathe.”   
  
Yurio blinked in confusion. Snapping his head back towards the mirror, he frowned and poked it. He stared at Phichit’s reflection. Puzzled, he bit his lip as tears welled in his eyes. “Must just be seeing things. It’s nothing. Whatever.”

Phichit stepped forward and stood next to him as he looked into the mirror. Pressing his hands against the ballet bar, he chuckled as he looked over at him. “No wonder Victor’s that good. I bet he never stops practicing.”

Yurio didn’t say anything in response. Looking down at the bar, he shook his head and stepped away. “I guess,” He grumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he started shivering again. “Fancy room. Rich Victor. Whatever. It’s cold. I’m leaving.” 

Yurio shoved Chris aside and then marched up the stairs. He rubbed at his eyes. Trembling, he swallowed back his tears and tried to steady his breathing. He clenched his fists and dug his fingernails into his skin, leaving half-moons in his palms. He then sat down at the first step that led to the second level of the mysterious staircase, shivering and hugging himself. Letting out a deep gasp he didn’t know he was holding, and his eyes widened when he saw his own breath. 

It was cold.

Chris sighed and pressed his hand against his forehead. He closed his eyes for a few moments and took a deep breath before opening them again. He ran his fingers through his hair and bit his tongue, looking over at Phichit.

“He’s just emotional. Don’t hold it against him,” Phichit sighed as he touched Chris’ arm and looked off to the side. “I can talk to him about that later if you want. Or think it would help.”

“No, no,” Chris gleamed softly as he put his hand under Phichit’s chin and tilted his head up. “He just needs time is all. And space. I like having people, like you, close to me when I feel that way, but he doesn’t.”

Phichit’s cheeks flushed when his eyes met Chris’. Electricity buzzing through his veins, he just nodded sheepishly and pulled away, stepping off to the side. “S-sounds good. Yeah. I’ll just. Uh. Yeah.”

He shuddered as a cool breeze blew through him. Drum mallets pounded against his chest. Hair standing on his arms and the back of his neck, he brought his hands up to his mouth and blew into them. Rubbing his hands together, he started walking towards the staircase again, footsteps echoing loudly behind him. As thunder shook the house again, he looked back behind him and stared at the mirror. Looking over at Chris again, he smiled softly. “Let’s follow him and see what’s upstairs.”

“Yeah, sure,” Chris smiled fondly. Following him, he flicked the light off.

Thunder echoed and boomed through the house again. Watching his friends walk away, Yuri pounded at the glass in front of him. Screaming at the top of his lungs, his voice rasped as he gasped for air. Snot and tears ran down his face and dribbled off his chin. Pulling away from the mirror’s surface, he buried his face into Victor’s chest as he started to sob, shaking as his husband wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close.

It was cold.

* * *

“Hey Yurio, we’re coming up!” Phichit shouted softly as he walked up the stairs.

Yurio jumped and stood up straight. Leaning against the wall, he pulled his hood up and covered his head. He then shoved his trembling hands into his hoodie pockets, chewing on his gum as he tilted his head back and tried to keep his tears from falling again. He turned the volume of his music up and led the way up the stairs, eyes glassy. When he entered the dark room, he felt around on the wall for a few seconds and was able to find the switch much easier this time. Squeezing his eyes shut, he winced when the room lit up and shoved his hand back into his pocket.

Phichit frowned and watched the teenager closely as his heart sank a little. Eyebrows crinkling as he furrowed them together, he sighed and looked away, remembering what Chris had told him. His eyes followed the trail of memories lining the walls: medals, photos from award ceremonies, and even some trophies lining shelves. 

There was a large closet taking up half the room that was filled with Victor and Yuri’s skating costumes from over the years. Although Yuri hadn’t held on to all of the ones he had performed in, Victor did. Next to the closet was a wall of different ice skates Victor had skated in throughout his lifetime. There were two deep-blue sofa chairs in the room as well that were next to a small end table.

“I guess this is where he keeps all his important things?” Chris questioned as he tilted his head to the side. “A little odd, but understandable, I guess. It’s… nostalgic.”

Yurio sat down in one of the chairs and curled up, pulling his legs to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He pressed his face against his knees and closed his eyes, music playing louder now. Phichit looked over at Chris and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I, I kind of feel like it would be. Breaching privacy by looking in here? But, we probably should anyway.”

“Yeah,” Chris replied as he rubbed his chin. “Let’s give him a minute.” He looked over at Yurio and swallowed. “He’s taking this harder than I thought he would. Maybe it was too soon for him to come- he’s still young.”

Phichit chuckled and placed his hands on his hips. “We both know he would have hated us forever if we didn’t let him come. He would have, like, snuck into Yakov’s trunk and hid. We should just be gentle with him. That’s all.” Phichit looked over at Yurio again and bit the inside of his lip. “He needed this. He’s probably been bottling things for a long time.”

“Yeah,” Chris nodded. “You’re right. Let’s look for more secret things? Like with the bookcase. Maybe if we, like. Lift something. Another door will open?” 

Phichit grinned and turned, starting to lift some trophies off of the shelf and put them back down. “On it!”

Chris hummed softly to himself as he walked through the room, lifting some medals and trophies here and there. Standing in front of the closet doors, he chuckled to himself. “Been a while since I was hiding in one of these,” he grinned and opened it as Phichit laughed behind him. Sifting through some of the costumes, he paused when he felt his hand brush against something cold and smooth. Sliding the outfits out of the way, he blinked and stared when he found a large black and silver vault door. “Oh wow,” he whispered when his eyes widened and started to sparkle. “Found another skeleton, Phichit!”`

Phichit ran over and stood on his toes, trying to look over his shoulder. “Chris, what is- _oh,_ ” He hopped up to try and get a better look. “He’s like Hannah Montana!”

“...Hannah Montana?” Chris raised an eyebrow when he looked over at him.

“You had to watch the show to get it,” Phichit smirked and rolled his eyes. “Anyway, what do you think will happen if we put in the wrong number?”  
  
“...It won’t open?”   
  
“What if it calls the police! Or summons spies! Or lights the room on fire! There could be _booby traps_ ,” Yurio deadpanned at them. He started putting his headphones back into his pockets as he stood a few inches behind Phichit, tapping his foot. “You gotta take this more _seriously_ ” he scolded as he stared at them with bloodshot eyes.

Chris hummed and stared at the number pad, clenching his jaw as he narrowed his eyes. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to be cautious. Should we try their anniversary date-”  
  
“No.” Yurio sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s gotta be a pain to change the combo on this thing and he’s had it for a long time. Try… 1224?” He tilted his head.   
  
“Why that?” Chris asked as he started pressing the buttons.   
  
“Can’t tell you. Yakov swore me to secrecy,” Yurio grinned when the number pad lit up green. A soft click was heard, and Chris pushed the door open. As it swung to the side, the room automatically lit up. Chris’ face flushed instantly and he threw his arm over Yurio’s eyes, blocking his view.   
  
“Aaaand we’re leaving now,” Phicit gasped and pulled the door back and closed it shut.   
  
“What! What was in there?” Yurio flailed as Chris held him back.   
  
“Nothing you needed to see.”   
  
“ _Bullshit!_ ”

* * *

Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Yurio was busy scarfing down the lunch they had delivered to the house. Sitting across from him but next to Phichit, Chris leaned back and continued scrolling through his phone. Phichit played with the food on his plate as he ate it slowly, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrow.

“What’s going through your head?” Chris asked a few minutes later after he looked over at him “You’ve been like that for a while now.”

“I’ve been thinking… maybe we missed something downstairs? In the secret dance studio? Maybe we should go down there again.”

“ _No_ .” Yurio paled as he dropped his fork. “We’re _not_ going down there again.”

“But what if-”  
  
“I said **_no_ **.” Yurio shoved his food away and pulled his hood up. Turning away from them, he stared at the bookshelf.

Shadows were cast on Yurio’s face. Although the rain had stopped a little while ago, the sky outside was still asphyxiated and overcast. The room was dark as the lights flickered. He then stared at the window across the room as a few stray raindrops were still stuck on its surface. He shuddered as he felt a scratch made with long fingernails run up his spine.

“Yurio, what happened down there?” Phichit asked as he sat up. “I know something spooked you, but-”

“...You’re not going to believe me.”

“Try me.”

“...I saw him,” Yurio stared down at his hands. They were sitting in his lap, shaking and covered with crusty snot as his body trembled. His fingernails were jagged and short. His eyes were wide, face pale, and lips cracked. “I. I saw him. I know I did. I-”

“What do you mean?” Phichit got up and sat down next to him. He raised his hand but hesitated before setting it down on his shoulder. Before he could say another word, Yurio turned and grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him close as he started sobbing incoherently against his shoulder.

“I-I fucking saw him! I-I-I. You! When you! I-...”

“Who did you see?” Chris asked as he also got up. He sat down on Yurio’s other side and also pulled him into a hug so he was sandwiched between the two of them.

“Y-Y-Y-Yuri! In the mirror!” He cried harder, coughing as he clenched onto Phichit’s shirt. “I swear! I fucking _swear_!”

It was cold.


	4. Black Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mirrors aren't really what they seem. What do they really harbor deep inside their mystical caverns?

“Wait, you saw them?” Chris jumped and his eyes widened as his phone slipped through his fingers. Blinking rapidly, his eyes burned through the teenager. “And you didn’t  _ tell us? _ ” He furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms, tapping his foot against the herringbone floor. “There could have been a  _ secret door! _ They could be  _ trapped back there! _ ”

“I-It was only for a second!” Yurio pressed his face against the table, trembling as he balled his hands into fists. His shoulder-length blond hair veiled his face. “When Phichit was coming down, I just saw Yuri’s reflection in the mirror instead of his! It was just my mind playing tricks on me! It just- It  _ scared _ me! It was  _ so real! _ ” He rasped, gasping for air between his words. The salt on his tongue burned his throat with each breath.

Chris took a deep breath and then sat back down. Clenching his jaw, he started to rub at his temples. He swallowed as his throat tightened and then he bit his lip. Shoulders slumping, Phichit pressed his hand against his arm and squeezed a little. Chris sighed and then looked back over at the blond.

“Sorry. I. I shouldn’t have exploded like that. You’re right. It’s probably just all the stress from what’s happened today. Maybe you were just hoping to see them so bad that you actually did. That would have freaked me out too.”   
  
“Yeah,” Phichit knelt down next to Yurio and started to rub his hand against his back in circles. “Our minds are powerful. And mirrors can be weird like that anyway. They’ve always kind of spooked me. Maybe we should go for a walk? And clear our heads? It’s just been. Super heavy in here. Maybe we did too much too fast. Our nerves are catching up to us.”

Yurio sniffled and sat up a little, bangs falling across his face as he rubbed his eyes. Coughing, he cleared his throat and then looked out the window. “Y-yeah. That sounds nice. I don't mind the rain.”

“Great. Let me see if I can find any umbrellas.”

* * *

Chris grimaced as he felt dew plaster against his skin. As a few stray rain drops trickled down his forehead, he tried angling Victor’s Gucci umbrella better in an effort to block some of the wind. Phichit rested the metal pole of a regular-looking black one he found in the house against his shoulder and spun it every so often, giggling softly as some rain spiralled off and splattered against Chris’ cheek. When the Swiss man shrieked and jumped off to the side, Phichit laughed and beamed, eyes crinkling when he looked over at his friend.

“ _ Phichit! _ My  _ foundation! _ I don’t want to reapply  _ everything! _ ”

“Sorry! Sorry! Here, take a selfie with me by this bench! The trees look…”

Yurio rolled his earbuds through his fingers in his jacket pocket as they walked down the sidewalk. Looking up at the sky, he watched as the charcoal sodden clouds mushed against each other. They rarely allowed golden rays to rain down against his skin, but when they did, his bones felt warm. As he exhaled, he watched as his breath formed a cloud in front of him. It then dissipated and became one with nature. The clouds trailed slowly across the sky. He could barely see them moving, but he's been watching them for a long time now. He learned their language and dance routines a decade ago.

Asphalt mixed with pepper and nutmeg drifted past him as the wind blew. Flowers swung back and forth on the grass beneath him. They dribbled some droplets down against the mud and showered the worms that were wriggling around beneath them. Crouching down, Yurio sighed as he picked some strays off of the concrete. He then laid them down in the grass about a foot away.    
  
“Stupid little dumbasses. Try not to get squished, idiots.”

He then looked over at a flowerbed. Reaching over, his fingertips grazed against the head of a waterlogged flower. Some shriveling petals hugged his skin as it swung back and forth. As the wind blew again, the flower fell forward and rested against his palm. As he allowed it to nuzzle him, the petals brightened a little. The browning yellow stem and leaves slowly darkened and became a crisp green. He smiled as the petals started to unravel. Pulling his hand back, the flower stood up straight next to its slackened siblings.

“Hey Yurio!” Chris angled his phone and posed as he took some photos with Phichit. “Come join us! I wanna post a group photo!”   
  
“Ugh, do I  _ have to? _ ” he rolled his eyes as he wiped his hands against his jeans.   
  
“This tree is too pretty not to!” Phichit stuck his tongue out as he pulled Yurio up against them and stuck out a peace sign.

Sighing, Yurio resigned and allowed the two of them to take some photos. When they finished, they both watched as Phichit started scrolling through his gallery. After Phichit paused on one photo, Chris paled and immediately snatched it away from him.   
  
“What are you doing?” Phichit squealed as he stood up on his tiptoes and tried to grab it back.    
  
“Deleting this  _ monstrosity! _ I look so old!”

"Save the griping about being old for when your face looks like stomped up gum found on the road all stretched out and wrinkly and shit," Yurio groaned as he unwrapped a new piece of gum and popped it in his mouth. “Or, like, raisiny fingertips after taking a hot bath for an hour with your fancy ass rose oil Starbucks frappuccino bath bombs or whatever. You look fine. Just. Tired. And wet. Like those worms.”

Chris raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened. His jaw dropped as he snapped his head to the side, staring at Yurio as questions raced through his mind. Mouth agape, he just. Stopped. Phichit blinked and a few moments later laughed harder than he ever had in his entire life. Doubling over, tears streamed down his cheeks as he fell to his knees, lungs and stomach burning. Coughing and wiping at his eyes, he stared up at Yurio with an expression indescribable with words found in any human language.

“ _ What? _ ”

“You heard me,” Yurio crouched back down and picked a worm off of the sidewalk. He watched it squirm in his hands for a moment before setting it down by the flowerbed. “Even on our bad days, people still wish they looked like us. Don’t be too vain or something will cut your achilles heel one day.”

Chris tilted his head and watched Yurio closely. “When did you get so wise?”   
  
“My grandpa talks a lot. I listen to him. Sometimes.”

After they posted some photos they all agreed looked nice online, Phichit hummed and pocketed his phone away. He sucked on his thumb briefly, having been cut a little from his cracked screen. As they continued to walk, Yurio’s eyes sparkled after the wind carried some honey and cinnamon their way. Looking over at the bakery they just passed by, he patted his back pocket. After feeling his wallet, he nodded and looked over at the other two. 

“Hold up. I wanna stop in.”

Shrugging, Chris gave him a nod of approval. Phichit then squealed and tugged on Chris’ arm, running and dragging him into the small bakery. A few moments later, Yurio grinned as he walked out, carrying a bag filled with apple-cranberry pirozhki. The breeze danced across his skin as the rain finally came to a stop. The clouds parted and allowed some rays to caress his cheeks. His hair shimmered with each step.

A car then passed by them as they were heading back. Speeding through a puddle right by the sidewalk, Chris was suddenly drenched with murky road water. Freezing where he stood, he sighed and tried to wipe some gutter waste off of his face. He looked at his foundation-coated sleeve and let out a groan. 

Giggling, Phichit just munched on his lemon-blueberry muffin.

* * *

Standing in front of the bookcase-door, Phichit put his hand on his hip as the other lifted the special-book away from its resting place. When the bookcase clicked open, he looked back at the other two. Chris was hanging his jacket up as Yurio sprawled out on one of the blue sofas.

“I’m going to go down to check it out again. You guys don’t need to come if you don’t want to. There’s probably nothing down there anyway,” Phichit rubbed the back of his neck. 

“I can come down with you,” Chris shrugged, dabbing his pants with a towel. “Just give me a minute.”   
  
After cleaning himself off, he winked over at him and walked over. As the two of them started to head down towards the basement again, Chris shivered and crossed his arms. The parts of his pants and shirt that were once damp now felt like shards of ice rubbing against his skin. His hair stood up on its ends across his arms. Rubbing his goosebumps, he looked around the dance studio as they stepped in. 

Phichit frowned and walked around, poking random spots on the wall and mirrors. He picked up and moved some plyoboxes, kicked some mats over, and even bounced a medicine ball. Frowning, he looked over at Chris and shook his head.

Chris sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. Phichit turned and gripped onto the balance beam, staring into his own eyes as he faced his reflection. Biting his lip, Chris turned, flicked the lights off, and then rubbed his hands together. “Come on. Let’s-”   
  
“Wait!” Yuri yelled out, waving his arms. “Don’t go!  _ Don’t go! I-” _

Phichit’s eyes widened as Yuri appeared in front of him right where his reflection used to be.

“Ch-Chris! Come here!  _ Now! _ ” Phichit screamed.

To say that time slowed down would be an understatement. Chris’s head snapped back- each muscle movement taking an entire second. He walked as though he was wading through quicksand. Phichit’s pulse echoed in his eardrums. His hands trembled. Squeezing the balance beam, his knees started to shake.   
  
“Yuri, is that  _ you? _ ” Phichit whispered. As tears welled in his eyes, his heart sank in his chest. It felt as if he swallowed a large ice cube. It was cold deep inside.

“Wait, you can see me? You can see me now?” Yuri wailed, pounding his fists against the glass. His face was ashen and covered with grey streaks that started at his eyes and ran down his cheeks and chin. Dried, frozen tears. His lips were blue and frosted. The tips of his hair were turning white. “Yes! Yes it’s me! Thank  _ God! _ You can finally see me! I-I don’t know where Victor went! He was right here too! I-”

The whites of his eyes were black.

“Yurio! Get down here!” Chris shouted up the stairs. Running back towards Phichit, he skidded and stopped next to him, staring at Yuri’s reflection with wide eyes. “A-Are you okay? How did you get in there? Is there a door? Crawl space? Anything?” He yelled, sweat running down his forehead.

He looked over at his own reflection and jumped back when a foggy haze appeared where his reflection was just a few seconds before. After a moment, Victor pressed his hands against the glass. His silver hair now had blue streaks in it. His face was pale. His eyebrows were coated in a sheet of frost. His cheeks and the tip of his nose were red. Like Yuri, his lips were also frosted and tinted blue. The whites of his eyes were also black. 

Victor suddenly latched onto Yuri tightly and pulled him close, shaking a little as he let Yuri cry against his shoulder. He rubbed his back and shoulders, peppering the top of his head with kisses. “I-It’s okay, Yuri. Someone will find us soon. I promise. We’ll be okay and-”   
  
“We can see you!” Phichit exclaimed, gently touching the mirror in front of him. “How did you guys get in there? You look so  _ cold! _ Are you okay?”

“W-we’re fine!” Yuri shouted. Eyes wide, Victor turned and looked over at Chris and Phichit again, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. “Y-You guys can see us? Oh my god,  _ finally! _ ”

Hiccuping, Yuri cuddled up against his husband’s side. Holding him close, his teeth chatterred. “W-we have no idea how we got in here. We. We just got back from the airport. We were going to unpack and everything, but then, all of a sudden. It got dark! It’s like we passed out, and then when we woke up, we were in here! Trapped!”

“What do you mean?” Chris rasped, shaking as he suddenly grabbed Phichit’s hand and squeezed it. “You didn’t walk back there? Or something? There’s no door?”   
  
“No!” Victor choked out. As his breath fogged up against the mirror, frosty crystals appeared against the surface. “There’s nothing behind these mirrors! Or any! We’re  _ in the mirrors _ ! We can look through any of them if we focus hard enough, but, this is, like, where we were put. It’s easier staying in these ones down here.” 

“You guys need to run before it sees you!” Yuri’s eyes widened as he shouted. “Listen, sometimes-”   
  
Gasping, Yuri and Victor started shivering again. Snow fell from somewhere above them and stuck onto their hair. Teeth chattering, black smoke and ash started to circle around them. Thunder and lightning echoed behind them and they jumped. Yuri let out a shriek and he buried his face against Victor’s chest.    
  
“It’s here!”

“What’s here?” Phichit yelled, pounding his fist against the mirror. “Yuri, what’s-”   
  
“Chris? You shouted- what’s going on?” Yurio blinked as he poked his head into the room. The second after he took a step into the room, the smoke and ash that were circling around Yuri and Victor exploded and turned into glitter. The two looked at each other as they became wrapped in sunlight. Golden roses started growing around their heads like flower crowns. Starting to glow, they gasped and their eyelids fluttered. Victor’s hair was silver again. Yuri’s hair turned black. The ashen and pale colors on their faces then faded away. As their lips turned pink, Yuri’s frozen tears also melted away. When they looked back at Phichit and Chris, the black that was once in their eyes was now white again. 

“What the-” Phichit gasped.   
  
Yurio walked forward and stood next to Chris, swallowing as he looked over at the once-missing duo. Letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, he swallowed and looked down. “I… I guess my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me after all.”

When he looked up again, in place of his reflection was a white glowing and sparkly  _ blob _ . When he moved left, it moved left. When he moved right, it moved right. Rolling his eyes, he just shook his head and looked over at Victor.

“What do you mean, playing tricks?” Victor asked when he looked over at him.   
  
“I. I thought I saw Yuri earlier. It was just for a second, but, it freaked me the fuck out. I just thought my mind was. Tricking me. Or something.”

“I knew it!” Yuri grinned as his eyes lit up. Pushing his glasses back up, he looked over at him. “You were the only one who did, then! You saved us!”

“But,” Chris swallowed as he squeezed Phichit’s hand again, “How do we get you  _ out? _ You don’t even know how you got  _ trapped in there. _ ” Yuri’s smile fell and he looked over at his husband, lip quivering as tears welled in his eyes. Sniffling, he cuddled up against his chest and hid his face. Victor hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead.   
  
“I… I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry I updated later than usual. My summer courses just started (I'm in grad school) and the workload was more than I expected. I'm learning how to manage my time better. I'm going to try to get back on my regular uploading schedule. Thanks for reading!


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